Hawthorn Deira

Dubai may be an expensive city, but there are still a few amenities and little pleasures of life that are cheaper than in Europe / UK / USA, etc. Something all of my visitors and new work colleagues have always marvelled at is the incredible availability & quality of fresh fruit juices all around town.

Especially in unlicenced restaurants (restaurants that don't serve alcohol) you'll open your menu and be astonished by the variety of fresh fruit juices on offer. Usually you'll get your juice in a 500 - 750ml glass and depending on the venue, it will cost between only 10 and 15 Dirhams! (1 US$ = 3.67 Dhs)

NOTE: If you're trying to be properly healthy, ask your waiter to bring you the fresh juice "without sugar and without syrup." Some restaurants will add sugar syrup to sweeten the juice... but that's not the point of healthy juice now is it?!

Here's a list of the fresh juices you'll most surely come across in any Arabic restaurant:

> Pineapple Juice ("Ananas" in Arabic; the same word as in German!)
> Orange Juice
> Grapefruit Juice
> Watermelon Juice
> Pomegranate Juice
> Strawberry Juice
> fresh Lemon Juice with Soda & Mint (very refreshing)

TIP: For that extra special "flavour of Arabia", ask your waiter to add a dash of Rosewater in your juice.

TIP: Some restaurants will also ad some fresh mint leaves to your juice / freshly made lemonade.

If you're not a fan of pulp, then I'm sorry to say that these juices aren't for you. Usually they are very thick (see photo) with plenty of fruit pieces inside.

Every restaurant will also offer "Fruit Cocktails" with mixed combinations of fruit, sometimes adding some "laban" (butter milk) or ice cream.

TIP: Drink Pineapple Juice with or after your meal. It is high in the enzyme bromelain, which aids digestion & has been shown to promote weight loss...